NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara women’s soccer team (5-1-1) battled the Idaho Vandals (1-4-1) to a 2-2 tie in game one of the UNLV Rebels Classic in Las Vegas, Nev.  Senior Stephanie Gartley (Camlachie, Ont.) scored the tying goal 29 seconds after NU fell behind.

“We played a tough, physical team tonight,” head coach Peter Veltri said. “We didn’t create enough chances, but were able to score the goals with the few we had.”

After a scoreless first half, the Purple Eagles took the lead 15 minutes into the second. Freshman Laura Kimoto (Scarborough, Ont.) was the first person to react to a loose ball in the box and beat the keeper to score her fifth goal of the season.

Idaho, which outshot Niagara by eight in the second half, kept pressing and tied the game in the 66^th minute. The goal set-off a flurry of action to follow.

Six minutes later, Vandals forward Nicole McAllister gave Idaho its first lead of the game when her shot blast past Ashleigh Bowers (Liverpool, N.Y.).  However, the Purple Eagles quickly charged down the field after the restart and Niagara equalized the game 29 seconds later, after a combination play by Shaylyn Lawrence (Baldwinsville, N.Y.), Chiara Greco (Hamilton, N.Y.) and the finishing touch by Gartley.

Gartley’s six goals have all come in three of the last four games.  Her 44^th goal now moves her within one goal of tying fourth place in career goals.

Idaho created most of the chances in both overtime periods while NU mustered only two shots in those periods.

Bowers had a busy night in net and had a career-high 15 saves.

Niagara will next face the host, the No. 25 UNLV Rebels, at 2:30 p.m. eastern time in the final game of the classic.